Today
64°F
Sunny
NW 15 mph · 0% precip
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Today’s verdict
Current River Conditions
As of (10 days ago)
This intel is a couple of weeks old — conditions may have shifted.
As of ~1 week ago, the river was fishing well.
The Farmington is running at a normal level with clear water right now, and good hatches are continuing to come off. Multiple anglers reported solid fishing earlier this past week, so the river is in a productive stretch heading into late October.
Blue-winged Olives are the bug to match right now, with nymphs, emergers, duns, and spinners all worth having. Autumn Brown Sedge caddis are also in play, and midges — especially cream and red blood midge patterns fished in tandem near the bottom — are a reliable fallback whenever the hatch activity slows. Sculpin streamers are worth throwing for the bigger browns.
Hatches
190 CFS is right around its typical level for October — this stretch typically runs 127–275 CFS.
Wading tends to be more manageable at typical flows, but beds shift and cold water saps strength fast — read the water, stay within your limits, and check conditions on-site. You remain responsible for your own safety.
At 57°F, the water is in the prime range for trout — cold enough to fish and to handle fish safely.
Weather
59°FClear
Wind NW 16 mph
Sunrise 7:21 AM · Sunset 5:49 PM
Observed (1 hour ago)
NWS / weather.gov · fetched 17:01
Today
64°F
Sunny
NW 15 mph · 0% precip
Tonight
34°F
Mostly Clear
NW 5 to 15 mph · 0% precip
Tomorrow
55°F
Sunny
NW 6 mph · 0% precip
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Size #8
Size #16
Conditions are estimates from USGS data. Always assess on-site conditions and use your own judgment.
The Riverton gauge reads the West Branch of the Farmington below the Hogback and Colebrook dams — the cold Connecticut tailwater that fishes well year-round for wild and holdover trout. It carries both flow and water temperature, so the conditions reflect that tailwater. Fly intel here comes from a single source, so it's lighter than on our multi-source rivers.
Location
© OpenStreetMap contributors · © Geoapify
Helpful Links
Connecticut fishing resources
Cold Connecticut tailwater below Colebrook and West Branch reservoirs, known for long pools and selective trout. Target species include Wild and stocked brown and rainbow trout. Excellent public access and extensive walk-and-wade water, including special-regulation areas. Productive timing is Year-round, with April through June and September through November most comfortable. Major hatches and foods include Midges, BWOs, Hendricksons, caddis, sulphurs, March Browns and isonychia. Common approaches are Small nymphs, emergers and precise dries; streamers in higher water and fall. Regulations, access rules and water conditions vary by reach, so anglers should review current agency information and the linked local reports before fishing.
Tactics
190 CFS+45Flow
57°F−1°Water temp
64° / 34°WeatherSize #20-22
Size #20-22
Size #6-4
Size #4-6